Military dismantles drug cartels in Jaji

By Mohammad Tijjani

Military authorities at the Jaji Military Cantonment in Kaduna State have dismantled drug cartels and arrested suspected dealers operating in communities within areas under the cantonment who were handed over to the NDLEA for further action.

Captain Olusegun Abidoye, acting Deputy Director, Army Public Relations, Infantry Corps Centre, said this when he took newsmen to areas where some online platforms had falsely reported that civilian properties were demolished.

Abidoye, who spoke on behalf of the cantonment, said the authorities were highly concerned about the exponential rise in social vices particularly drug trafficking and substance abuse in the communities.

He said, “These include Railway settlement, Unguwan Loya, Unguwan Aboki, Unguwan Alhaji and Unguwan Alasan among other hamlets.

“These communities, while offering informal support services to the cantonment, also pose significant security and social risks.

“Some of the areas occupied by these settlements overlap with areas earmarked as training areas thereby exposing both the residents and personnel to physical danger during field exercises involving live ammunition.”

Abidoye said intelligence reports and internal assessment had highlighted the presence of organised drug cartels operating from within the settlements.

According to him, this is contributing to a disturbing increase in substance abuse cases among both the children of soldiers living within the cantonment and civilians.

He said that the military authorities had to conduct investigation and field surveillance, during which they confirmed the existence of extensive drug networks, particularly within Railway settlement and Unguwan Loya.

Abidoye said, ‘These cartels are reportedly operated by over 15 identified individuals involved in the trafficking, sale, and distribution of illegal drugs within and outside the cantonment.

“Some of the common substances trafficked include Indian hemp, skunk, Exol, ice (Crystal meth), crack cocaine, tramadol, and other psychotropic drugs.”

He, therefore, said that the arrest of some members of the cartels was to stem the disturbing rise in drug abuse in the area.